wrestle

Etymology

From Middle English wrestlen, wrastlen (also as wraxlen), from Old English wræstlian, wraxlian (“to contend, wrestle”); corresponding to wrest + -le. Cognate with Saterland Frisian wrosselje (“to contend, wrestle”), West Frisian wrakselje (“to wrestle”), Middle Dutch wrastelen (“to wrestle”), Middle Low German wrostelen (“to wrestle”).

noun

1. A wrestling bout.
2. A struggle.

verb

1. (intransitive) To contend, with an opponent, by grappling and attempting to throw, immobilize or otherwise defeat him, depending on the specific rules of the contest.
2. (intransitive) To struggle or strive.
3. (transitive) To take part in a wrestling match with someone.
4. (transitive) To move or lift (something) with difficulty.
   Federal Reserve officials raised interest rates to their highest level in 22 years and left the door open to further action as they continued their 16-month campaign to wrestle inflation lower by cooling the American economy. 2023-07-26, Jeanna Smialek, “Fed Raises Rates After a Pause and Leaves Door Open to More”, in The New York Times
5. (transitive) To throw a calf etc in order to brand it.
6. (transitive) To fight.
   Tunisia dug in to frustrate England in the second half but [Harry] Kane was the match-winner with a late header from Harry Maguire's flick, justice being done after referee Wilmar Roldan and the video assistant referee (VAR) had failed to spot him being wrestled to the ground twice in the penalty area. 18 June 2018, Phil McNulty, “Tunisia 1 – 2 England”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 2019-04-21